In France, about 1 million people are affected by Alzheimer’s disease. This pathology results in progressive and permanent degeneration of nerve cells. Various risk factors can promote its appearance, such as age, heredity or environment (sedentary lifestyle, frequent anesthesia, untreated diabetes and hypertension, etc.).
The link between gut bacteria and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease
According to a recent study published in Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, Helicobacter pylori, a common stomach bacteria, may increase the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Widespread worldwide, this pathogen can cause indigestion, gastritis and ulcers, and even stomach cancer.
To reach this conclusion, scientists from McGill University (Canada) analyzed medical data collected between 1988 and 2019 from more than four million people over the age of 50 living in the United Kingdom. They then found that Helicobacter pylori infection was associated with an 11% increased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
Helicobacter pylori bacteria: hope for new therapeutic avenues
In their conclusion, the researchers expressed their concern. Because of the aging population, they fear that Alzheimer’s cases will increase drastically in the coming decades. “The number of people with dementia is expected to triple over the next 40 years. Despite these alarming data, there is still no effective treatment for this disease.”Lead author of the study and professor in the Faculty of Medicine at McGill University, Dr. Paul Brassard noted.
The research team therefore hopes that these preliminary results will pave the way for new therapeutic avenues. “In this way, we will be able to develop prevention strategies such as individual eradication programs to reduce the number of infections in the population,” Dr. Paul Brassard added.
